


It Takes Two

by Morpheel



Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: After the Sequel:, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Animal Instincts, Bonded Pairs, Claiming, Creampie, Gentle Sex, M/M, Marking, Mating Bond, Mating Rituals, Nesting, Oral Sex, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recruitment, Serious Injuries, Soulmates, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2018-12-29 22:46:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12095094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morpheel/pseuds/Morpheel
Summary: When it comes to bonded pairs, Tom firmly believes that the thought of genetically perfect mates is a load of absolute bullshit. There's no way that two people are biologically predispositioned to be together, no matter what the Government says. It's all a load of horseshit to promote reproduction.But when Edd's old friend moves in after arriving from the front lines of war, is there really anything else to describe the magnetic bond between them?(Now featuring upcoming sequel)





	1. Instincts are a bitch

**Author's Note:**

> So if you squint at this it's a soulmate Au. I guess?  
> Honestly I just wanted an excuse to write a fic where the main theme is pure instinct and need. OUTSIDE of heats.  
> Hope ya'll enjoy it anyways!

It’s said that when an Omega finds their destined Alpha, instincts grip them so tightly and drive them to build a nest and preen for their Alphas’s attention. In return the Alpha will swoop into the nest, court them with gifts and attention, before finally laying on the mating claim when locked deep into their first heat.

But that all was a load of romance bullshit.

Tom knew better than anyone that mating marks and destined pairs were all a load of garbage, straight down to the humiliating undertones of the Omega being a little needy whore for their Alpha. It was all just mind control garbage spoon fed from the government to get them to obey for the sake of reproduction.

So what if Edd and Matt were flittering about like a trope straight out of a cheesy romance novel. So what if Jon and Eduardo found themselves to be a perfect match in the government’s biological and genetics testing facility. It was all just shit, and Tom refused to believe his entire being would be spent in preparation to be some Alpha’s cocksleeve.

He was fully independent, pulling in good money from his bass gigs, and could take care of himself thank you very fucking much. He was 23 years old, never mated, never bred, and preferred to stay that way. Except he knew that by the time he hit age twenty five, he would receive a letter in the mail if an official mating documentation wasn’t submitted.

He hated that if he didn’t find someone he just normally clicked with by the time he was just fresh out of school and into the real world, that he would be thrown in with some “compatible mate” who only matched with him because they answered a few things on a questionnaire.

Worst off was that they expected him to fufill his “Omega duties”. No way was he popping out a kid. No sirree.

Didn’t matter that Matt was already expecting late fall, and Eduardo was elated from Jon’s news of his recent pregnancy. They can do whatever the hell they want, Tom was content just giving them a congratulations card. Of course Matt and Edd just had to poke fun though.

“Maybe you should just register early, you know.” Matt oh so helpfully suggested, stomach already visible through his maternity clothes. “It’s like ripping a bandage! Just have them pair you with someone, and instinct does the rest!”

Edd was piping in next. “Come on, Tom. We have a spare bedroom, you know! I wouldn’t mind if you turned it into a nursery and moved a mate into your room! I bet they’d be real patient and sweet to be matched with you!”

Ouch. What a fucking jab.

Tom was glaring as he seemed to be much more content with nursing from his flask than explaining every single reason as to why the lovebirds needed to shut the fuck up. He didn’t have the patience for this today.

“For the last time, Edd. I’m not signing up early, nor am I going to go out and find my special whatever the fuck. I’m content just being single.” He stated bluntly, before turning tail and moving out with a clearly displeased pinch to his expression. Just who the hell did they think they were, trying to boss him around like that.

True to his word however Tom remained unmated for another solid year. Matt delivered a gorgeous baby boy, Edd was practically glowing with paternal pride, and the two continued to help Tom through some of his particularly nasty heats.

Tom was mewling out in pleasure as Matt grinded their hips together, slick staining the sheets as Edd worked his cock in and out of his best friend. “Tom- come on, you need to find a mate soon! Your heats have only been getting worse lately!” Matt pouted, before shivering in delight when Edd pulled out long enough to smear himself between his actual mate’s folds.

Yet Tom was letting out this pathetic little whimper that had Edd inside of his cunt again, clearly out of it. But Matt was determined.

He slapped Tom’s cheek a few times, before smiling when it seemed the blank eyes were as focused on him as, well…black eyes can get. “Actually- we were meaning to talk to you about that!” He began, before Tom was fluttering his eyes shut in pleasure from the sensation. God that felt so good.

Yet Matt brought him back with a tug of his hair. “Tom! One of Edd’s friends wants to move in, and if you aren’t going to get a mate soon, we’re giving him the room you could use as a nursery!” He said, before Edd was grunting as he slipped his knot fully inside of Tom.

He released into the condom, now only electing to fuck Matt without one. Mate’s rights and all. Tom was struggling to keep up with both the pleasure and the news. A new roommate? God, that sounded like it was going to end badly. He made a mental note to complain more about it later, before his eyes rolled back in pleasure as he let himself get lost in the sex once more.

When he was more coherent he made sure to voice his displeasure. “A new roommate? Guys, it’s already cramped enough here as it is. What with Judeth and all.” He tacked on at the very end, arms crossed tight over his chest as he sat in the living room after a much needed shower. He could still feel tingles of his heat, but a good fuck certainly kept the instincts at bay.

Edd just sighed. “Tom, he’s a dear friend that’s returning from the military. I knew him since highschool, and I’m not about to turn him down a home because you don’t want a perfectly capable person taking a completely vacant room. So either get a mate that can also pay bills, or he’s moving in.”

As expected, Edd’s friend was moving in within the next month. No matter if he would be forced to find a mate in 11 months’ time, he still had precious freedom he didn’t want to waste being knocked up for. He found that if he pouted long enough and sulked in his room, generally nobody asked him to help move in the plethora of items that belonged to the roommate.

Apparently he brought an entire army’s worth of guns with him. He was finding them fucking everywhere! He stepped out and scattered all across the living room were boxes, clothes on hangers, and fucking *guns*. Oh yeah this guy was already getting on his nerves.

Tom shouldered his way past Edd to reach the kitchen, just wanting to come out for a quick snack. But instead he was running into a large red barrier between him and the fridge, recoiling back in shock. The red fabric moved, before a rather large and frankly intimidating Alpha was staring down at him.

In that moment Tom felt his heartbeat pick up exponentially. He couldn’t look away as the Alpha slowly studied him over, before Tom was swallowing down his nerves and trying to move past the enticing man. Fuck that guy- he didn’t like him because of his guns and boxes. “Watch where you’re going.” Tom snapped as he moved past, feeling albeit weak at the knees.

Why did he smell so fucking good?

The Alpha’s expression scrunched up into distaste when the temperamental Omega just had to make a spectacle of himself, scoffing slightly as he unloaded a box full of kitchen supplies straight onto the table. “Well, then. Glad to see we’ll be getting along.” A deep Norwegian accent purred in his direction, catching Tom off guard.

That really should not have been as hot as it was. He was just speaking, for Christ sakes! Yet Tom felt like his heart was going to go haywire in his chest as he quickly tried to groom his hair and fluff up his clothes. He didn’t know why he wanted to impress Tord, but he figured it was a pride thing. He had to look his best to prove to the Alpha he was better than him.

Edd came in a moment later, noting the tension building between his two best friends already. Matt was holding their son close as he stepped in at Edd’s side, before quickly turning around. He was not about to deal with any potential arguing with his child so close nearby.

“Ah, Tom! I see you’ve met Tord! Tord, this is Tom! We’ve all had some crazy adventures in the past, and because of it I know you’ll get along swell!” He tried to placate the rising tension with a smile, clasping his hands together even as Tom’s glare spoke otherwise.

“Yeah, we met.” Tom stated, before shoving his nose into a sandwich and making this conversation the farthest priority on his mind. Tord was fixing Edd with a confused stare, before finally both Alphas were letting out joint sighs. Fuck them and fuck their psychic connection to each other’s minds.

Tom just grabbed his meal and went, waving his wrists about as he noticed he was walking with a bit of a sway to his hips. Had he always done that? “Well, it’s been an ABSOLUTE pleasure to meet you, but I’m going back to my room. Don’t wait up for me for dinner.” He stated, before finally crossing the boundaries into his room and slamming the door.

Instantly he was sliding down the smooth wood, letting his composure fall as a frantic pulse beat his chest raw. He pulled his arms tight around his chest, trying to stop himself from outright going out and throwing himself to the other’s feet. He was deep in the shit, and couldn’t even fathom why this Norwegian douchebag of all peoples had his stomach doing circles.

He pondered it nearly all day, ignoring the tickling scent that kept brushing under his door whenever the Alpha would step past. He smelled so brisk and musky, with undertones of spice that had Tom’s mouth watering. By the time that nighttime rolled around Tom found himself with two fingers buried inside of himself.

He was unbelievably horny for little to no reason he could think of, humping down on his fingers as he bit his frustrations out onto a pillow. If he screamed quietly into one while trying to ignore flashing images of Tord’s face, he’d never admit it.

Little did Tom know, Tord was facing the exact same ailments as him.

It made the morning even more awkward than it had previously been, the tension in the room blatantly palatable as Tom miserably crawled himself into the shower to wash the lingering slick off of his thighs. He didn’t care that he probably smelled of it too- until he ran into Tord.

Something about the way that the Alpha’s eyes narrowed in on him had Tom weak to the knees, wanting to collapse in front of the door and spread his legs there. But he ducked his head down and went into the bathroom regardless.

No one would blame him for a quick jerk off session, right? Yeah no, he was going to have to do a hell of a lot more than jerk off for this strange trickling need to go away.

He was coming out in a fresh set of clothes, so much more refreshed despite the lingering buzz in his lower regions. Thank fuck it was just Matt looking to shower next rather than Tord standing behind his door.

Edd and Tord were laughing in the living room over something that just had to be absolutely goddamn stupid, Judeth sitting on Edd’s lap and gurgling away. Tord seemed fascinated with the little bugger, gently offering him a finger and babbling in response to his baby talk. He felt something warm twist inside of his gut at the sight, finding that he felt…odd. It was as if he was missing something.

He blamed his hunger on the reason his hand rested so idly on his stomach, searching through the cabinets until he found some canned soup for breakfast/lunch. Of course it was like him to oversleep past a decent morning hour. He quietly ate with his head ducked into his phone, before feeling his ears grow hot when Tord walked in once more.

The two shared a quiet look, before Tom just scoffed and looked back down to his phone. Fuck. His hands were trembling, and he hoped that Tord didn’t notice. “Good morning, I guess.” Tord sighed. He went to the fridge to grab a premade bottle of formula for his best friend’s kid, placing it inside of the microwave and setting it to only thirty seconds.

It was the most awkward thirty seconds of Tom’s life.

Every time he glanced up he could see Tord’s eyes studying him, trailing along his body, eliciting shivers down Tom’s spine. Something about the Alpha’s gaze on him pleased his inner Omega, and lord fucking forbid he tried to stop himself from preening once more. He was fluffing up his gravity defying locks, arching his back just so; he even crossed his legs together in a slow display of his physicality.

Tord’s attention on him was only snapped by the sound of the microwave beeping, and he was left suitably awestuck by Tom as he fixed him with just one more glance. When Tom met eye contact with the Norwegian once more, he was swallowing down his interest as Tord made sure to showcase every single muscle in his body with a lazy stretch of his arms.

Tom was left sitting in his own slick by the time he managed to finish his food, borderline tossing the dishes into the sink as he stormed back to his room. He couldn’t keep going on like this- there was no reason Edd’s stupid war buddy should be affecting him like this!

And no, he refused to admit that it could be a suitable mating compatibility. That shit was for fairy tales and poorly written fanfiction.

He kept telling himself that all the way until dinner. Edd had ordered pizza for the entire group, dead set on breaking the ice to their newest roommate now that every single one of his boxes had been unpacked. A shitty zombie movie, some popcorn, two different pizzas set out for the group’s enjoyment.

A veggie pizza for Matt, and a meat lovers pizza for Tord, Tom, and Edd to share. Tom was trying to dig into the pizza yet continuously found his hand brushing along Tord’s no matter how he seemed to avoid it. At this point it was more of an inconvenience as they just kept reaching for the exact same slice. Finally Tom was backhanding Tord’s away when the other reached for his same slice for the third goddamn time.

“Nuh uh. I don’t know if you’re genuinely trying to annoy me right now but I’d appreciate it if you cut the shit.” Tom snapped, taking the entirety of the group by surprise. Tord was taken aback the most- before his eyes narrowed forward in a clearly short tempered demeanor. “Oh, I’m the one who’s trying to annoy you? And I need to cut the shit?”

Tom felt a fight coming on, and it pumped a heaping dose of adrenaline through his bones as he bore his small fangs to Tord. “Yeah, actually. That’s exactly what I said. What a miracle, the shit-for-brains Alpha can comprehend words. Good job, buddy.” He gritted out, before Tord clearly wasn’t having any of it.

He bore his own fangs in response, eyes narrowing as the reverberating growl through his chest had frozen Tom to the place. His eyes blew wide in surprise, before meekly he found his head tilting to the side. He had no clue what gripped him to loose every ounce of his aggression, but he instead tucked in on himself.

No words were exchanged as Matt and Edd stared rapidly between Tord and Tom, the Alpha quickly deflating when he noted that Tom seemed to be distant and lost. He was scooting a bit closer and resting a broad hand onto Tom’s shoulder, the Omega perking up instantly and scooting even closer.

Tord smelt safe, warm, and felt even better to rest against as crooning chirps left Tord’s throat. It helped to soothe his suddenly rampant nerves, eyes sliding half shut as his head rested against Tord’s chest. He never wanted to leave the embrace; at least not until realization of what was happening crashed over him.

He was being courted.

Sheer panic once again raced through him as he shot out of Tord’s arms, the Alpha looking equally perturbed by the situation as the duo rose to their feet. Tord put a good few feet of distance between them as he backed up, before clearing his throat and turning around completely. “Ah- sorry, Edd, but I think I need to return to my room.”

“Yeah, same here.” Tom confirmed, before attempting to hide his bright red flush with the flat of his palm along his eyes and cheekbones. “Not feeling too hot all of a sudden. Thanks for the pizza though.”

And with that, the Alpha and Omega had retreated to their respective quarters, leaving a very confused and equally concerned Edd and Matt behind. Matt fixed Edd with a quizzical stare. “Do you have any idea what to make of that?”

“Absolutely no fucking clue,” was Edd’s response, despite clearly holding his own suspicions. Tom wasn’t the kind of Omega to back down from a challenge, and Tord had never been anything remotely close to a soft and comforting presence.

Ah well, in the end it didn’t really matter. Not when they had entire pizzas to eat by themselves and a movie to marathon. Edd was sure Tord and Tom could work out their strange chemistry in due time.

* * *

 

Hiding back in the safety of his own room, Tom’s head swam a mile a minute downstream as he tried to sort through his own thoughts and feelings about what had just happened. Tord had chirped to him in that soft tone that left his chest fluttering, turning his entire head to a pleasant mush.

Despite his own claims at the bullshittery that most “bonded pair” stories eluded to, he couldn’t think of any other reason as to why he was so attracted to an Alpha so…stereotypical. He reeked of aggression and pride, holding his days in service over his head like some badge of honor. Tom just wanted to backhand him and tell him that almost every single Alpha joined the military at one point in their lives.

Yet another part of him wanted to pull him down. He wanted to feel those hard muscles under his palm, slide them along his arms and back as he wrapped his thighs about his waist. It was getting harder to think as the lingering Alpha’s scent had him turning over in his bed. He grinded down against his pillows with a frustrated sigh, relenting in the knowledge that he’d just be overly promiscuous after any prolonged exposure to Tord.

That’s alright. He can live with that. Anything would be better than just tiling his head to the side and bearing his throat to the Alpha. He was using his pillow as a suitable resting place when suddenly his door opening had caught his attention. Matt was the one standing there, before freezing in place when Tom jolted in surprise.

He pulled the slightly wet pillow from between his legs. “Fucking- can’t you learn how to knock for once Matt?” He grumbled, before the other could only sheepishly smile in response. “Sorry Tom. I just wanted to ask you if you were okay. You seemed kind of perturbed.” Matt inquired, clearly knowing something was up between Tord and him.

The Omega could only sigh as he threw the pillow down across the room. When it came to discussing personal matters as such, Matt was the last person he wanted to do that with. Not because he didn’t like the other or anything. He just…really didn’t need someone mirroring his thoughts and fears back at him. “Matt, I’m fine. I just want to be left alone right now.”

As much as Matt didn’t want to leave Tom in such an emotionally distraught condition, he knew that there was little to no way he would actually be able to convince him otherwise. If Tom wanted to be alone then that was his wish. He could only slowly close the door behind him with a sigh of, “Alright…Just let me know if you need something.”

Finally Tom was left alone with his own thoughts for the next thirty minutes, and a steady sense of encroaching panic suffocating him. He had no clue just what his body had needed until it presented itself in the form of his door opening once more. He found himself tensing up, ready to snap at Matt once more.

But the figure in the door was not Matt.

Instead the very Alpha that had been plaguing his thoughts from the very beginning was staring at him through the door with an equally disturbed expression. His hair was a mess, his posture was tense- everything about him radiated displeasure right down to the very scent. His throat sounded so much more ragged as he attempted to speak, “We need to fucking talk.”

Tom shuffled back onto his sheets when his personal space was encroached by an unfamiliar Alpha, eyes blowing wide in shock before narrowing in aggression. “No. Get the fuck out of my-“ the second his body took in Tord’s scent, Tom nearly felt himself melt into the sheets. _Alpha._

He wasn’t even in rut, but something about Tord’s particular scent had Tom’s senses on overload. It seemed from the look in Tord’s eye that he was in much of the same shape from Tom. The door was closed quietly on the duo, Tord’s muscles flexing under his shirt as he loomed every closer to the Omega on the bed.

He was prowling around him, there was no better word to describe it. Tord was staring him up and down, igniting a fire deep in his body that had Tom feeling a strange rush of instincts wash over him. His hands unsteadily rose up to rest on the Alpha’s chest when Tord moved into his personal bubble. At first he had the intention to push him away- yet the feeling of the firm muscles under his fingertips had his palms greedily moving over his physique.

Fuck.

He was leaking slick by the time that he had gotten a good feel of the potential mate, so strong and broad that Tom wanted to lay back and spread his legs there. It was almost as if he was in heat, body moving on auto pilot as Tord approached him. He narrowed his eyes and let out a guttural little whine, pushing the overzealous man away. He needed to do…something.

Tord looked impatient when Tom turned over and began to gather all of the blankets about the side of his floor, clothes and hoodies steadily adding to the pile as he borderline tore apart his sheets. His ass was upturned, a tempting presentation.

Yet every time Tord tried to move his hands into Tom’s territory, the Omega snapped at him. Sharp canines were flashed at him, hands batting away his advances until the Omega had finally constructed a makeshift nest out of the sheets. He was buried into them, rolling about the sheets and marking them with a deep scent of arousal that had Tord finally losing control.

He moved his way into the marked nest, hands roaming over Tom’s body as the other shifted in response from the tugging of Tord’s excitement. He made room for two, turning around and letting his hips rise up in display.

There was a wet patch in the front of his shorts that had Tord’s attention, mouth watering as the sweet scent of his bonded pair drew him in closer. His tongue laved through the fabric, hands shooting up to practically tear it apart. It was just in the way of his final goal- and he was all too excited to finally rip the shorts halfway down the Omega’s hips.

Tom was purring out for him, hips moving sensually from side to side as cold air hit his sensitive cunt. He wasn’t even properly in his head when he chirped out in need for his Alpha. No doubt this man was his destined mate- Tom couldn’t even think of why that was even a problem when a warm tongue dipped between his folds to arch along his aching clit.

He was growling in pleasure into the pillows, drool mixing into the fabric as Tord’s large hands kept his ass spread open. He pushed back eagerly against the tongue, before moaning when Tord’s eagerness caught him by surprise. Already he was trying to mount him, those same hands pushing his chest down to the sheets as his head tilted helplessly to the side.

Tom felt just how large the other’s cock was when the bare skin was dragging between the lips of his entrance, eyes shooting open in alarm. That was big- that was a hell of a lot bigger than he had ever taken before. He was squirming in protest until he felt a pair of claiming fangs brushing along the back of his neck. Instantly he was falling still, body loosening up into his Alpha’s hold as the pressure instructed him to keep as still as possible.

He heard Tord spitting into his hand, eyes shutting tight as two fingers prodded at his entrance. His folds were loose and ready to take a knot- but it was only when three fingers pushed him open and steadily made room for a fourth did Tom borderline lose his mind.

The Omega felt so full from just four fingers inside of him, slick making the passage ever easier as he attempted to move back for more. Yet all too soon Tord was withdrawing his fingers, leaving Tom painfully empty. He was trying to shift and turn over, to see what was taking Tord so long- but he was thrown off guard when his head was pushed aggressively back down.

He loved it.

His tongue was lolled out of his mouth when Tord finally pressed the head of his cock between the Omega’s folds. Just the size of it alone was hard to accommodate for, but at least it seemed that Tord was aware of this factor. His nose rested at the nape of Tom’s neck, breathing in his scent as he carefully shifted to allow more room to move.

Whenever Tom’s noises pitched into distress he would stop, trail his tongue along the side of his scent gland, before continuing until his hips finally met Tom’s ass. The Omega was so fucking tight around his cock, practically clenching down each time Tord made move to rut closer.

He felt fucking incredible, though. He could feel each twitch, each miniscule motion of Tord adjusting himself for a better grip on Tom. He settled to have his arms resting on both sides of Tom’s hips, gripping the sheets in his palm as he picked up a steady rocking motion. It was a simple pace, but it was more than enough to have the Omega below him squirming in delight.

Each movement forward was met with an equally excited backwards push, Tom’s chest rising rapidly as his body scrambled to try and get a knot already. Tord wasn’t in a hurry, though. Not when the arch of his mate’s back was so alluring to his eyes as he worked.

It was only when Tom was rapidly growing overstimulated that Tord turned him over onto his side, hiking a leg over his shoulder while Tom struggled to accommodate. He looked even better like this, arms instinctively flying out to grab a pillow and pull it as close as he could for support. The new angle was brushing deep inside of him, trailing along parts of his walls that normally didn’t receive direct stimulation.

He almost wanted to take out his camera and take a picture of Tom’s face. It was even more attractive than one of his hentai girls, the expression scrunched up into a near pout as he tried to keep up with the pace. Just as Tord was about to move him again he was taken by surprise when his lover’s back arched up in an orgasm.

It came out of nowhere, seeming to even startle Tom as the Omega’s keen of pleasure remained completely uncovered. The milking action around his cock had almost drawn Tord to the edge as well.

Almost.

Instead he was turning Tom over onto his back to stare deep into the strange blank eyes his bonded mate possessed. They were admittedly awe striking. He leaned down to rest their foreheads together, eyes closing as a pair of arms pulled him down into a kiss that even left Tord’s head spinning. It was filled with such a passion, such adoration, that Tord was instantly moving himself over Tom’s entire body.

His head tilted away only to place a series of slow kisses down Tom’s jaw, admiring the gentle curve of his throat as his tongue laved a wet streak straight down his neck. He could smell the source of that intoxicating bond, staring own at Tom’s unmarred neck. Aside from a scar here or there, he didn’t see anything that would have ever previously tired Tom to a mate.

Perfect.

He was baring his claiming fangs right as the rim of his knot began to swell up, Tom’s chirping picking up in surprised frequency as Tord suddenly became a hell of a lot larger to handle. Nails bit into the Alpha’s back as Tom struggled to accommodate for the steadily inflating knot. Yet when the entire thing was inside of him?

He threw his head back in ecstasy, mouth falling open into a breathless pant as he felt Tord’s small thrusts picking up in frequency. Just when he thought he was about to burst from the size of the knot inside of him, Tom cried out at the first wave of cum to wash over his insides. Right in that moment Tord decided to bite down on his gland, claiming fangs piercing the skin and leaving Tom on absolute cloud nine.

His head was spinning as another one of his own orgasms crashed into him like a ton of bricks, body desperately milking the Alpha for every drop of his seed. Never before in this moment had Tom been so glad he remembered to keep up on the birth control. He was shaking by the time the duo was climbing down from their respective highs, Tom’s head swaying in pleasant exhaustion.

The feeling of safety that a warm body winding around you provided was something Tom wouldn’t trade for the world. The nest smelled like a mixture of their two essences, the tie between them solidifying as Tord’s tongue languidly lapped at the still-bleeding mark on his neck.

It was only an afterthought that he should turn himself properly towards the Alpha, grumbling up at him as his hand trailed around the back of Tord’s neck. At first the Norwegian thought that Tom was going to pull him into a kiss- before he let out an undignified yelp as small claiming fangs buried into his own gland. He was taken by surprise- but the rush of pairbonding endorphins that rushed between them had Tord’s complaint slowly dying on his tongue.

Instead he had little qualms. His Alpha was content, Tom was falling asleep in his arms, and his knot was firmly locked inside of his lover. No doubt that could make for some fun wake up sex. But for now he’s had quite the day. Resting his chin on the top of Tom’s head, Tord allowed his eyes to slip shut and join his mate in slumper.

Maybe there really could be a happily ever after to this fairy tale.


	2. Drafted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While falling into a steadily domestic life, an unexpected wrench is thrown into Tom and Tord's plans.   
> How they manage this is up for grabs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow look another sequel nobody asked for.  
> I've got a bit more planned for this fic before I'm done with it, especially given how popular it was without me expecting it! Anyways I'll take my dear time on this one, especially since it's a miracle I managed to finish it during Finals weeks.

With the sun filtering through the cracked blinds to his side, it was with heavy regret that Tord’s sleep was cut woefully short by the sound of muffled pots and pans banging just to his left. The sunlight peeking into his eyelids didn’t help the matter as the Alpha rolled over onto his stomach. His arm stretched to his side in search of the phantom warmth of his mate- only to feel a notably absent divot to his side.

Well, that was motivation enough to get up for the day, he supposed. With a heavy sigh he was throwing his legs over the side of the bed to stuff them into his red slippers, tossing the covers off to expose his nude form. Each joint in his spine seemed to crack with his stretch as he rose to face the day.

A little less naked, though.

Plucking a robe from behind their door, Tord shrugged it over his shoulders and soon made his way out into the hustle that was the morning commute. Edd was already stuffing a bagel into his mouth as Matt tried to coerce his two year old into accepting a fruit mush for breakfast. Needless to say, it wasn’t working well as he kept spitting up the offered fruit fussily.

Poor Edd was trying to squeeze himself into a suit he outgrew merely months prior, picking at his sweeping brown locks as he attempted to make himself as presentable as possible. It was only when he noticed Tord did he offer him a slight grin, pulling his tie tight around his neck. “Well don’t you look ready to tackle the day.” Edd teased, causing Tord to merely snort back in response.

“I should be saying the same to you, you big oaf. Big interview for the animation gig?” He questioned, eyes scanning the kitchen and only softening when he caught sight of an oversized red sweater waddling its way around. Only then did he turn back to Edd.

The man finally finished his appearance just in time to grab his keys real quick, offering Tord a wink as he pulled his briefcase portfolio into his grip. “Don’t you know it. I’m going to get this one, I know it! I’m tired of pining for commissions and living off of commercial gigs that might not come! I’m going to be an honest working man!” he said, sweeping past Matt to offer his mate a deep kiss onto the lips.

“Now there’s my hard working husband. Judeth, say goodbye to your daddy too!” Matt cooed to the laughing infant, clearly so amused with spitting the peach puree all over his dam just a few moments earlier. Edd placed a big kiss onto his son’s head, enjoying the soft, milky scent that all infants and toddlers seemed to hold.

“Goodbye, Judeth. I’ll see you soon, my dears.” He said, before rising up and fixing Tord with one more look. He lifted a quaint eyebrow, smile obviously mocking. “Don’t tell me I need to kiss you goodbye too, Tord.”

Puckering his lips dramatically was the obvious retribution for Edd’s joke, clasping his hands together and batting his pathetic excuse of brunette eyelashes at him. “Oh, it would practically ELATE me to be in your honor for a kiss. Why, I’m swooning at the very thought!” He said, tone wistful as he purposely swayed on his feet. He took staggering steps sideways towards Edd, falling back with one arm daintily raised to his forehead. “Catch me, Edd!”

Needless to say, Edd did not catch Tord.

Judeth’s laughter only grew louder as his small hands slapped in the mess of puree, cheeks deep red from laughing so joyously at the sight of Tord rubbing his head where it slammed against the chair. Edd was kneeling down quickly in alarm. “Oh dude, Tord, I had no idea you were actually going to fall.” The Alpha defended, Tord only rubbing at his head as he looked up at Edd, clearly offended from his vantage point on the tile.

“I’m never trusting you again, Edd.” He said, before his attention was drawn to the sight of a very familiar face turning around the corner of the kitchen and quickly making his way over. The gruff expression on Tom was certainly a sight for sore eyes (and heads apparently) as he came to a pause in front of the crumpled form of his Alpha.

Gaunt arms crossed over a budding chest, only accenting the soft bump of his stomach through the bagging material of Tord’s sweatshirt. He fixated the man with a judgmental stare, before his expression softened, offering his hand to his fallen companion. “You fucking idiot.” He stated, clearly a mixture of affectionate and serious in his term.

Tord’s smile couldn’t get brighter as he accepted the outstretched hand. Tom’s fingers were so soft as he rose back to his feet, only straightening out his robe in order to wind his arms around Tom’s rounding hips. “Good morning, beautiful.” He muttered, before his tone grew ever softer as he cupped the swell of Tom’s stomach. “And good morning to you too.”

Arguably the best part about getting up in the morning was getting to see how Tom was faring, his stomach seeming to grow daily with the budding life between them. Tord couldn’t help from getting a bit touchy, hands sliding under the hem of his hoodie and nearly causing Tom to jump out of his skin as his hands flew down to keep his hoodie over his crotch.

“Hey, dipshit, I’m commando right now.” he muttered, eyes only flicking up to study Matt’s interested expression. The other Omega was stirring his tea as Tom pried Tord’s hands out of his clothing, his sigh irritated and short. “I think you’ve felt enough of me last night, Lassum.”

A hum was his response.

Matt just clicked his tongue in disapproval, despite wiping his own face and clothing clean of as much mush as he could. “Oh, trust me, I heard it. And Judeth did too. Little bugger woke up and threw a tantrum until you stopped.” He noted, Tord at the very **least** having the decency to look embarrassed at that.

His hands left Tom’s body as he went to the fridge, leaving the Omegas to their breakfast as he searched for something of his own. “I would say I’m sorry, and you know that I am- but I cannot guarantee it won’t happen again. Tom’s very vocal when it comes to my midnight snack.”

He probably deserved the two pairs of slippers being tossed at him, purple and blue hitting him respectively as Tord cringed at the impact. With a soft sigh he was rubbing the spot that the soles connected with, pulling out some old sausage patties and a protein shake from the fridge. “Alright, I get it, okay? No need to throw the second pair.”

He popped the plate into the microwave, making sure not to heat it for too long while he cracked open the lid to his smoothie. It was chalky, it was gross- but he was too used to schedule to abandon his gym routine and drills.

“Tom, did you get the newspaper?”

From the look his lover gave him, Tord was going to guess the answer was a big, fat, hefty no. The brunette was buried into a bowl of cereal as he hunched over into himself, legs tucked into the underside of the hoodie in a futile attempt to keep warm. It was adorable in its own right.

“Does it look like I have any desire to walk outside, in public, where it is COLD, and fetch a paper that I don’t give a shit about?” He questioned even as Tord began to make his way over to the door, his smile radiant with affection. “I figured that would be the case. It’s alright, I’ll grab it.”

The weather outside was quickly tilting towards the chilly side, fall just now reaching its end and moving into the clutches of winter. The sun may be out but the bitter chill of the wind nipped at Tord’s nose as he crossed their driveway in lazy strides.

The neighborhood was just waking up, with the mailman already having passed his routes and an elderly woman walking her dog just down the street. He nodded his greeting to the beta, pulling the mail out from the box and studying the heaping pile of junk they usually accumulated. Between Matt’s magazine subscriptions, Edd’s junk mail from online purchases, Tord’s formal letters to his dear friends, and Tom’s packages? The mail was always a hectic mess.

Yet a single letter was sticking out plain as day to Tord, officially stamped with the Britain seal and wrapped in a rather fanciful envelope. This wasn’t the first time he’s received military lettering, but the strange timing of it all had a single eyebrow quirked in confusion.

Ah well, no matter pondering it in the cold of the street.

He made his way back into the house just in time to watch Tom throw the dishes into the washer, bent over ever so as Matt carried his messy child to the bathroom for no doubt a wash. That left only the obvious solution to be found here-

He snuck up with all the grace he could muster, steps dead silent as he placed the letters aside for now. Tord was on an important mission, and that mission…was to get that booty.

His hands wrapped tightly around Tom’s hips as the Omega jumped in surprise, his scent pitching in distress only long enough for him to feel his mate’s flaccid bulge rubbing insistently at the cleft of his ass. It drew a distasteful sigh from Tom as he righted himself into a standing position once more, not even bothering to move as Tord humped forward with the grace of a pup experiencing a seizure.

He eventually settled to just pull out his phone with a half-smile while Tord nearly bowled them over with the force of his playing, tilting his head to the side when Tom felt that sharp nose poking under his jaw. “Are you done yet?” He asked, only to stifle his laughter as a wet raspberry was placed along the marked side of his scent gland.

Despite the hilarious motions of his lover’s hips a second ago, the moment steadily melted into nothing more than a gentle embrace. Tom leaned back into the broad chest of his partner, letting his hand rise up to tangle with Tord’s as his mate idly rubbed their fingers together. He could feel the silver and gold bands adorning their hands clicking together from the motion.

“I think I’m good now, yes.” He confirmed, eyes closed as his chin rested in the nape of Tom’s neck. Ever since conception Tom has smelt nearly irresistible to Tord- like a fine dose of perfume. Sweet and up-front; but not overpowering as he nosed at the collar to his own hoodie. The combination of their scents lingered in the fabric.

Biologically nearly every hypothalamic reward center in his brain was alight, the scent triggering a deep satisfaction to rush through him. He had found his perfect compatible mate amidst the ruins of their initial opinion of each other, the hatred bleeding way to a soft rivalry that eventually crumbled into genuine affections.

And that was already after marking his neck in their first hormone fueled mating session.

Now he could feel the proof of their bond stretching through the fabric of his red hoodie, new life budding within Tom and blossoming before his very eyes. His hands moved from the tilt of Tom’s hips over to that growing bulge once more, his lover 4 months along with no complications to be found in their progeny.

This time he was able to lift the fabric of his hoodie without fear of innocent eyes witnessing, his hands smoothing up fuzzy thighs  until he was playfully brushing right past the divot leading towards Tom’s groin. He loved the way that Tom tensed up, a quiet hitch to his breath as Tord did so.

It was only when the hoodie was lifted and he felt arms along his stomach did Tom let himself sigh, eyes closed in relaxation as he tried to brush off this intimacy to the best of his prideful abilities. “I still think we should have waited longer for a kid.” Tom noted, feeling so typically… _Omegan_ like this.

He vowed he would never fall to the whims of being a baby maker for an Alpha- and yet here we was, swollen with his first with Tord already discussing plans of a second. And a third.

At least he respected Tom when he said he only wanted one, and that they were supposed to be much later in life than what the cards of fate dealt him. Fate decided to see him pregnant within the first year, and no amount of birth control and condoms had fixed that.

While it certainly had its fair shares of downs…Tom admitted there were a few ups as well. Like the adoration and attentive behavior his mate doted upon him with. All he had to do was ask something of Tord and he would wait on Tom hand and foot. From backrubs to food prep and snack runs- all Tom had to do was ask and it was his.

Just like how he tilted his head into Tord’s neck and smiled. “But I guess I can put up with it for you. And to shut Matt up about a playmate for Judeth.” He tacked on, nose scrunching up faintly as he planted a gentle kiss underneath his Alpha’s jaw.

Tord grumbled his agreement. “Frankly I don’t think I’d want our kid picking up on even half the attitude that brat has.” He said, careful to keep his voice down, lest Matt overhear. He was the definition of a mama bear; fiercely protective of his kid to the point it spoiled the boy rotten.

At least it drew a quiet chuckle from Tom as his hands rubbed over Tord’s, eyes falling shut as Tord’s lips brushed against the sensitive glands along his neck. He shivered at the contact, still so sensitive from their fresh connection. “Don’t be doin’ that unless you plan on finishing what you start.” Tom warned, only to soften when Tord pulled back to finally separate himself from Tom.

He went back over to the mail while Tom began to straighten up the kitchen halfheartedly, given it was his turn to do so.

Junk, junk, junk- All junk so far, and he made sure to toss the respective trash in their allocated piles per person. At the very end there was just the single letter remaining, addressed to Tord from the government. Furrowing his eyebrows he used his finger to tear the edges of the document, thinking it was just the usual check or job opportunities as a part of the Veteran Reintroduction Program.

What he found inside had his tan skin steadily paling, eyes roaming over the documentation as denial quickly began to settle through his stomach. No…this can’t be right.

He turned the paper over frantically, looking on both sides for any hints that he might be joking. His usual smoky scent dipped down in distress, reeking of ash and soot as his fingers began to tremble from where he clutched the page.

Tom took notice of the change in his lover as he placed the cereal box away, an eyebrow lifting as he looked over his shoulder to study him. “You okay, commie?” he asked, turning to lean against the counter and study Tord intently. It was only when the paper slipped from between his fingers and his face buried into his hands did Tom realize something was very, very wrong.

He moved closer to place his soft palm against Tord’s back as his Alpha’s breath began to come in shorter increments, chest rising and falling as his shoulders bunched up tight. Tom’s never seen this side of Tord before- it was scaring him. “Hey, uh. What’s wrong?” He asked, awkwardness clutching him like a vice.

A glittering gold seal caught his notice, Tom’s attention turning to the letter that lay discarded on the table. He lifted it up to inspect it, noting it was official British documentation. His eyes scanned through the various content of the letter, plentiful in its own, but one single thing seemed to stick out to him.

This was a drafting notice.

Tord was being forcibly drafted into the military once more, and there was no room on the letter that implied this was optional.

Tom dropped the paper.


	3. Oh How We Cope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobody can come to terms with what the future holds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, I added another chapter. Originally I had planned to just skip to the battlefield for this chapter, but there was so much untapped potential if I skipped the buildup to the drafting. So yeah, take this, it was way longer than I expected but I think this idea deserves such!

After the rough start in the morning, it seemed that no-one was able to properly function.

“There has to be another way to get out of this, I swear it!” Edd said with a fierce determination, his eyes roaming the page as Tord sat at the edge of the table. His head was in his hands, already knowing exactly what the outcome of Edd’s search would be.

When the other Alpha returned from his interview he was met with Tom in hysterics. Matt was attempting to comfort him to little avail, all while Tord sat curled up in the living room with the letter between his clenched hands. He had read over the print over and over again, looking for any loophole to worm out from.

Yet there was no way to avoid his fate, which was exactly what the government wanted from him.

“We just have to keep looking. They can’t draft you without consent, can they?” Edd hissed, turning the letter over once more to read it. Tord didn’t so much as lift his head from his palms as he responded with practiced ease, “When you draft yourself initially, and climb the ranks as high as I did, promotions came with a lovely document stating that my experience can be used as a mentor example for future recruitment.”

Letting the words sink in, Tord drew in a deep breath. “They want me back in a teaching position, but only to throw me on the front lines regardless. I may be a higher ranking general, but…I can’t. Not like this.” His silence only accented the problem growing between them.

There was little to no chance that Tord would return before the due date of his own son. Not only that, but there was too much to lose should Tord be killed in battle. He had a bonded mate, a healthy baby boy on the way, and a tight knit pack to help in providing for.

Yet the government didn’t care about any of that, did they? He was a pawn to an end goal, and the fancy embroidered signature only proved it further.

Tord could scream he was so frustrated, burying his face deeper into his hands as he bunched up the strands of hair clutched between his fingers. The pain was a mild relief to the anger he experienced, but not by much. Instead he drew in a shallow breath, raising his head up to fix Edd with a tired stare.

“In less than a week’s time, I’ll be sent to the nearest government recruitment facility and given a badge and title once more. There’s nothing I can do to fix that, and I’m sure refusing will come with a hefty fine we can’t afford. Just- quit looking, Edd. You’re working yourself up.”

His words held a note of finality that even had Edd close to a breakdown, large hands perspiring onto the paper as steadily he grew clammy and cold from distress. “No. Tord, it can’t be like this. Not like this-“ His argument was cut short as Tord rested his hand onto Edd’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze as sad eyes looked to his best friend.

With a voice so quiet that he was sure neither of the Omegas in the other room could hear, he confided something that neither of them wanted to hear, but couldn’t avoid any longer. “If anything happens to me, please, raise the baby as if he were your own. I was stuck between the names of Travis and Theo. Should anything happen, I trust you will be able to make the right choice.”

That had been the final straw that broke the camel’s back. Edd slammed the paper down with a resignation that would have the lesser Alpha flinching away, had he not known Edd for so long. His arms wound tight around Tord in a deep embrace, fingers twitching against Tord’s robe as he tried not to let him note the tears gathering in the corner of his eyes.

His tone was no more than a growl as he spoke. “Don’t fucking talk like that, Tord. Even if you aren’t here for the birth, you’re acting like you already plan on not coming back. You came back once, and you’re going to fucking do it again, you hear me? No buts about it.”

As much as Tord wanted to believe Edd’s words, he remained silent. The embrace was the most heartfelt contact he shared with Edd in so long, his arms tightening around him as he merely buried his face deeper into Edd’s shoulder. He wouldn’t mention Edd’s crying, so long as he didn’t call Tord out for his own tears.

After what felt like an eternity, Tord allowed himself to step back, composing himself with a few passes of his palm over his face. He shook off the sadness to offer his companion a small smile, even if it never reached the edges of his eyes. “You’re right. I’m talking like I’m already dead. I’ll come back in one piece, I assure you. Just…in case, promise me that you’ll take care of my boys.” He asked, tone so soft and tired in a way Edd’s never heard before coming from his headstrong college buddy.

Holding out his hand to Tord, Edd offered a handshake as his own smile was forced. “I promise, then. If it helps you sleep better at night.”

Their hands met in a strong clasp, finalizing the deal with a firm shake. A throat clearing grabbed both of their attentions, Matt standing there with a distant stare in his glassy eyes. Judeth was balanced on his hip, the boy fast asleep and completely oblivious to the tragedy taking place.

Carefully guiding the baby boy into Edd’s arms, Matt went over to Tord when his burden was exponentially lighter. He studied the Alpha for a short moment, before throwing his own arms around Tord and pulling him in close as the tears started to flow once more. “You big oaf, you better come back to us as quickly as you can. Who else is going to put up with my shopping adventures when I’m gone?”  he asked, attempting to keep the mood light but ultimately failing.

He couldn’t stop the tears, even when he attempted to furiously wipe them away before they could land on Tord’s fluffy robe. It seemed Matt knew a bit more than everyone let on to him knowing, only proving Tord’s thoughts that the young Omega was much brighter than he got credit for.

Tord’s hand landed onto the small of his friend’s back, rubbing soothing circles into the skin as he could feel the laborious breathing Matt had to keep under check. If only he could take a picture, inflecting all of the emotions of the household into one candid shot to send to the government. Tag in an ultrasound of his future pup, healthy and growing quickly within his perfect mate.

He knew it wouldn’t stop them, but all he had were shattered pieces of hope to go off of.

Matt pulled back in order to balance himself onto his toes, nuzzling under Tord’s chin and forcing his scent into this mild comforting lilac that had Tord burying his nose into his ginger curls. He held Matt the slightest bit tighter, with Edd soon coming in next to them and rubbing their backs in soothing up and down motions.

Being surrounded by their Head Alpha and Omega’s scent was calming Tord in ways he greatly appreciated, allowing his guard to drop as his head hung low onto the top of Matt’s. He sucked in a shaky breath, pulling Matt closer against him as the low purr of the other pulled his own from his sore and broken throat.

“I needed this.” He stated, words dripping drunkenly off of his tongue as Edd came around to his back and wrapped broad arms around both Tord and his mate. Pack cuddles were increasingly rare in modern society, yet doctors spoke high praise of the calming and revitalizing effects a good cuddle session could provide. Even among members with no romantic or sexual bond to their partners.

When he felt stable enough to stay on his two feet Tord gently pushed Matt back, reclaiming his space with a soft shrug of his shoulders. He was drained and tired now, and from the sound of the door slamming in his room, he figured Tom was much the same.

He knew Tom couldn’t accept this.

When the letter’s impact settled about them, denial shifted quickly to bargaining, and finally to rage as Tom demanded Tord send it back with strict instructions to fuck off and never bother them. He wasn’t able to argue logic or reason into his puffed up mate, to explain that the problem lies in the fact the note wasn’t optional.

Tord had a feeling Tom needed space, as backwards as that sounded. With a determined gaze to his face, he turned to Edd, fists clenching in his hold. “Edd, can we go to the bar later tonight?” he asked, not even having to decline an extension to Matt. There was a chance he was with pup again, even if every test after the positive one read negative.

Edd wanted to protest, to explain to Tord that drinking away his sorrows would do nothing to actually fix them. But one look at the broken expression of the once-proud Alpha had Edd nodding his agreement. He gave Tord a small pat on the back, a final gesture of comfort before he stepped away to allow his companion some room. “Sure,Tord. I’ll even buy.”

It was just the offer he needed, enough to get him back into motion to gently swoop past to the living room. Until it was a socially acceptable hour to drink, he figured rotting his brains away with reality television was the way to spend the hours after the news.

No matter how he tried to kick up his feet and relax, though, it felt like there was a timer ticking over his head. Slowly counting down to the moment he had to be drafted into the army. Slowly ticking down the remaining hours until he had to leave the wonderful life he’s built up in the short few months he’s been back. It felt like a joke, that the country already needed him after so little time.

Hell, he couldn’t even focus on the show itself. Instead his eyes remained blankly trained on the screen, not absorbing anything that happened within the show as his hand lazily stroked down Ringo’s fur. The cat had jumped onto his lap some time ago, as if sensing his distress. She had rubbed her furry cheek onto Tord’s hand until he pet her.

The action was soothing and repetitive, the perfect action to keep him from a full blown panic attack. He had so many questions that needed answers, so much anger built up, that it nearly exploded from him when Edd’s hand came to gently rest on his shoulder.

“Tord?” he question, before pulling his hand back and flashing the keys to Edd’s beat up pickup truck. “Ready to go?”

Was he ready to go? He couldn’t fucking wait. Tord rose up from his couch, watching as the cat previously perched on him scattered off with a kick of her feet. He didn’t mind. Instead he grabbed his black trenchcoat from off of the rack, braving the cold with little care as he was pulling a thick cigar from the coat’s pockets.

He needed a smoke with all that was on his mind.

The ashy taste was exactly what he needed to ground himself once more, puffing onto the cigar as he waited for Edd to unlock the door to his car. Fixing Tord with a slightly displeased stare, he decided against saying something just this once. If the man wanted to smoke up his car, then by god, Edd wasn’t about to be the one to tell him no.

The drive could be described as almost…awkward.

Clearly nobody knew what to say, or how to tackle the topic of Tord’s upcoming alcoholic episode. Light banter would be unappreciated, yet discussing the actual problems at hand would be catastrophic. Instead the dull noise from a pointless talk show filled the gaps that their silence left.

The bar of choice proved to be a small dive, rather than a bustling club or packed sports bar. Tord couldn’t complain. Whatever got him drunk at this point was good enough for him. He stepped out into the snow of the parking lot, the crunch loud in his ears as he dropped the ashes of his cigar into the white.

“I promise I won’t run your wallet dry.” Tord decided to state, just the icebreaker to have Edd cracking a small smile as he followed his Alpha companion through the crammed doors of the lot. There weren’t many people here; given it was a weekday, yet the Omegan bartender smiled warmly anyways. “Welcome!” she stated, cleaning a glass with lazy swipes of her cloth.

Tord instantly collapsed into the stool, head downcast as he knew exactly what he wanted to order. “Whiskey on the rocks, please.”

With a quick pour into a glass filled to the brim with ice, the bartender slid the glass to Tord who eagerly accepted the drink. Edd took the chair adjacent to his friend, settling in comfortably as the bartender turned her sights on him. “And what will you be having, fella?” She inquired, only giving Tord a passing glance as he downed half of the drink in one swig.

“I’m the designated driver so just a coke please.” he said, albeit with a bit of hesitance. He hasn’t had a good drink at the bar since becoming a father. But the temptation quickly dispersed when he realized Tord had slammed his drink in less than a minute and already was raising his hand for another.

Which once more he slammed down.

Edd had to place his hand over the glass when it was clear the pattern Tord was falling into. The miserable Alpha turned his head up to the pack leader, narrowing his eyes in a subtle challenge before quickly the fight melted into nothing but a deeply rooted despair.

He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand, voice gruff yet determined none the same. “I’ll take a water, please.”

Edd only let him continue after the first water was completely gone, already the alcohol was beginning to fuzz Tord’s judgment as he ordered a few fireball shots. It was a delicious taste spreading across his tongue, spicy and sweet at the same time as he slammed the glass down and got another glass of water down.

“Edd- Edd buddy, y’gotta…you gotta help me to the bathroom.” He slurred, legs unsteady as he tried to use the larger Alpha as a balance support after borderline falling out of his seat.  Edd had lost count of just how many drinks he actually was in- just knowing that no doubt the bill kept crawling higher and higher.

He sighed as for the third time he had to help Tord to the urinal, head turning to the side to give some semblance of privacy as Tord fumbled for the fly of his pants. Only when his business was done did Edd help lead him to the sinks, before finally taking out a fifty and slapping it down to cover all of the drinks that Tord had purchased when they returned to the bar.

“Thanks, love! You’ve been a real doll!” Tord slurred, his words laced with joy as he clicked his tongue at her and attempted a measly finger guns. Needless to say, he almost tripped over himself as he did so. Edd had to grip under his arms to balance him again, shooting the woman an apologetic smile.

He ushered Tord to the door of the car, trying to get it open while Tord leaned sideways and stared down at the snow below him. “Edd, wouldn’t this be so fuckin’ great if…if like this was cocaine or something?” He said, trying to reach down and collect a good handful of the snow.

Yet Edd had a hard time keeping a proper hold on Tord as he leaned, nearly throwing himself off balance as he gripped the handle of the door and swung open with it. “Tord!” he shouted, causing the other to slump back and turn his head to the Alpha with a curious stare. “Y’called?”

At least it gave Edd the chance to stand them up straight again, his hand keeping the door open while the other pushed Tord into the passenger seat. Checking to be sure each of his limbs weren’t in the way of the door, Edd closed it with a harsh slam as he went to the driver’s side.

This time the drive home consisted of drunken babbling from Tord, the Norwegian smiling all the while as his head swayed from side to side. Finally he rested his head against the glass, staring blankly out the window as the world passed him by so quickly. “Y’ever wonder why we’re…why we’re like this?” he asked, eyebrows pinching together as even he seemed to not know where he was going with this.

Edd turned to fix Tord with a curious glance, not able to keep his eyes on him in fear of getting into a crash. But the gesture was enough, given Tord felt compelled to continue. “Well…anyways, like. Imagine if this was different. Like I jus’ never joined the military. Wouldn’t be drafted. But…would I have even needed t’move in with you? Would I have met Tom? S’too hard to tell.”

He nodded along as Tord talked, Edd contemplating his words with only a small grain of salt. He was drunk, sure, but the thoughts he was having were far from carefree and peaceful. He moved his hand over to pat Tord’s shoulder. “Don’t think too hard about it. Instead look at the snow. Looks pretty, doesn’t it?” he stated, attempting to divert Tord’s attention once more.

Yet the Alpha only scoffed, brushing off Edd’s hand. “I’m drunk, not high, Edd.” He said, before sighing and allowing the cool glass to quell the heat in his forehead. He was sweltering in his jacket, yet knew the hand coordination required to take it off just didn’t sit with him now. He was drunk, so why wasn’t he careless and happy like he should be?

Instead he only felt vaguely sick, even as they pulled into the drive way and Tord got some fresh air to sober him up slightly. He took a deep breath as he stepped from the car, wavering on his feet, before making his way towards the front entrance with drawn out footsteps.

Edd was at his side in an instant, arm moving out to support him as they ascended the stairs that were heavily ladened with ice. Last thing they needed was for Tord to slip and go down like a ton of bricks.

They were both shivering after stumbling through the front door, the cold clinging to them like a particularly sadistic blanket. Trying to rub at his arms, Edd watched as Tord managed to make his way to the couch long enough to use it as a good hold. “I…need to see Tom.” He said, as if the thought had just occurred to him.

As much as Edd didn’t fancy the idea, he knew he couldn’t just babysit Tord all night. He had to be up early tomorrow to bring Judeth to his routine doctor’s appointment. Matt had to work at the hospital tomorrow, the nursing shortage working his lover to the bone.

“Then go speak to Tom, and try to get some shut eye, okay? It was good getting to go out with you again.” He tacked on, even if the truth was that Tord was a complete nightmare to babysit. He wished circumstances were different.

Edd made sure that Tord at least managed to reach his and Tom’s joint bedroom, before finally turning away when the wood closed shut behind him and locked. Edd moved into the comfort of his own room, closing the door behind him and allowing himself to settle in bed with his tired mate. A greeting kiss was all he needed before he wound tight around Matt, keeping his lover close.

Tom, on the other hand, wasn’t nearly as inviting as Matt was.

Stewing in his own thoughts, the once-alcoholic didn’t seem pleased at all to see his mate stumbling into the room drunk out of his mind. He tightened his grip on his water, the third one since Tord left. He needed something to orally distract him from the temptations of numbing himself to the pain. He couldn’t. Not with the life growing within him.

But it didn’t mean it was okay for Tord to run off and drink himself.

Tom placed the glass down onto the side of the table, turning his back to Tord and scooting as far away from the other as he could. He didn’t care that the Alpha borderline fell onto the bed, neither did he care about the wandering hands feeling about for him on the sheets. “Tom?” Tord’s pathetic voice rang out, muffled by the covers as he finally felt the first hint of contact.

Yet instead of a warm embrace like he was banking on, instead he found himself with his hand harshly knocked aside. Tom instantly pulled his hand back after the blow, tucking it against his chest as he squirmed his way under the covers without a single care towards the hurt expression his mate no doubt wore.

“…Tom?” he repeated, as if that would get the Omega to talk. Instead Tom made his stance clear as he huffed out a soft growl, pulling the covers further over his head as if it would block Tord out. The gesture was painful, increased even moreso by his intoxicated state. If he didn’t feel dizzy and slightly nauseous before, he certainly did now.

Tord fell back onto the pillows with a quiet flop, eyes stuck staring straight up ahead at the dark planes of the ceiling. He didn’t know what to do, what to say. Any drunken thought he managed to string together was lost by the time it reached his tongue, resulting in Tord sitting there with his mouth slightly parted open in contemplation.

After a few minutes of the repeated motions, Tord finally turned over to the opposite side of the bed, feeling guilt weighing down for reasons he knew exactly why. He was running off and getting drunk, when Tom couldn’t do the same. It was unfair.

He steeled his resolve to turn over and face Tom, his fingers clenching in the fabric as he attempted to swallow down the rising nausea he felt. “Well…Just know I love you, and I’m prolly going to regret this…in the morning.” He paused as he spoke, trying so hard to keep his head latched firmly onto his shoulder when it seemed content to float off and focus on other things.

Tom still didn’t move, other than to scoff softly once more. “Good.” Was his only response, before tucking himself further into the blankets and subtly nesting now that he had the scent of his Alpha nearby. Even if he was mad, his biology refused to allow him respite without Tord.

Even if the sheets reeked of them, and the pillow case had Tord’s glands rubbed all over it, he still couldn’t sleep without the real, breathing version next to him. He settled down onto the mattress, only jumping when the feeling of hands moving over his midsection drew him out of his stupor.

Tom turned over his shoulder to see that Tord moved far enough forward just to wrap his arm around his mate, broad hands moving down to rest over the swelling bump of their lovemaking. He gave it a reverent stroke, clearly the right move to do. Tom practically melted into him with a soft sigh, his own hand moving up to rest over Tord’s much larger one.

With their bodies melded close, and the anger melting off of Tom like a sponge, the Omega felt the weight of exhaustion crash over him. As much as he wanted to stay mad at his drunken fool, there just wasn’t enough time left for that.

There was no point to make their last few memories sad, for the short time they had left until Tord was dispatched for an unknown number of months.

The Omegan’s mind was made up as carefully he scooted back into Tord’s embrace. He didn’t say a word, even as he nestled directly into the crook of Tord’s body shape. It was nice, to feel him tighten his hold and move his hand languidly down to the swell of his stomach. The gentle strokes along the skin had his breath evening out, before the lull of unconsciousness finally reached him.

He settled back into Tord’s arms as the Alpha’s nose pressed to the back of his neck, taking in his scent like a drug. Who knows the next time he would be able to freely scent it after a week’s time.

With the restless nausea still clinging to him, Tord allowed himself to drift away as well.

He dreamed of smoke and ash, screams rising up like a mantra around him as the world burned to cinders under the weight of war. He stood in the middle of it all, a mindless solider with a gun. That was all that he was.


	4. Goodbyes are always the hardest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally the day that Tord leaves for the army, and he and Tom finally talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I added another chapter. Originally I was going to shove a shit ton into this one chapter but it read HORRIBLY so I cut it in two. Sorry not sorry. Take a mf update.

Tord couldn’t remember the last time he got a full night’s rest.

His silver eyes grew heavy as the flickering lights of the sun burned through his eyelids, causing him to raise his arm in a futile attempt at blocking out the rays. It was the dawn of a new day.

Or in this case, the dawn of his final day.

The calendar at the bedside was damning as he let his head fall to the side, studying it with a strange detachment. The date had been circled in deep red pen, pressed so hard it scribbled through to the other layers of their booklet. This was the day he needed to report in to headquarters.

It all came too fast. The drafting, the bar, the tense atmosphere giving way to grief, the way his lover couldn’t even bear to look at him most of the time; it all took its toll on the Alpha. His dreams had been plagued with insatiable nightmares, horrors lurking just beneath the surface of his mind.

He dreamed of death.

The thoughts in his head were deeply troubling as Tord steadily rose up from the sheets, rubbing over the taunt muscles in his face. He wanted nothing more than to curl up under the sheets once more and ignore his summoning, to try and squeeze his way out of the system despite not having nearly enough money to pay off the officials.

He could play sick, couldn’t he? They wouldn’t want a weak Alpha on the front lines. Or he could break his arm and fake an injury in a desperate attempt to fail the physical examination. All he wanted to be was far too much trouble for the government to consider.

With a loud sigh, Tord knew that would never work.

He pulled in a deep breath, only to pause at the scent of bacon drifting through the air. As if on cue his stomach emitted a loud rumble of protest. Right, he puked up all of his dinner last night after drinking too much.

Tord swore he could still see the disappointment on Tom’s face. It hurt far worse than his head was- and already that was pounding pretty damn badly.

It was a challenge to force his way up to his feet, nearly losing balance as he did so. It took him bracing himself against the bedrail in order to finally make his way to the door. He had slept in his boxers and tank top, not caring to make himself any more decent as he made his way through the empty living room.

There were still snacks and left overs remaining from their pathetic excuse of a movie night. They tried to make his last night a pleasant experience rather than a dreadful one. It held the opposite effect, however, when Tord looked over the glassy eyed expression Tom wore.

Even Edd and Matt were bummed, hardly able to start their usual banter and light teasing when the knowledge of their friend’s departure was so close. With how tense the room had been, could you really blame a guy for trying to drink the sadness away? Sure he regretted it, the way every night he found himself in the bottle, but it was all he could think to do to numb the pain.

Drink himself stupid, curl up with Tom, and try to sleep past the storm in his head.

There was a commotion in the kitchen as hushed voices whispered to each other, the clanking of pots and pans reaching him as the sizzling crackle of bacon made for a rhythmic background noise. He had a feeling that he knew what was happening as he approached the kitchen.

When he rounded the corner inside he was greeted to his three roommates, the kitchen an absolute disaster stacked high with dishes of all sorts. Tom was trying to flip pancakes, Matt was topping muffins with crumpled brown sugar, and Edd was handling the bacon and eggs on the stove.

All of the ingredients looked to be home made. That is, if the stacks of dirty dishes scattered across the countertops were any indication. He could only stare at the spread in bafflement. It looked like a breakfast fit for royalty.

Cottage cheese and fruit plates were already hastily shoved onto their small table, alongside the oatmeal and grits that looked to be drowned in butter.

Just the way Tord liked it.

He had to pause to cover his mouth from the sweet barrage of breakfast foods, silver eyes wide as suddenly blank, blue, and brown all locked onto him as well. Tom stopped flipping, Matt dropped the bag of brown sugar, and Edd had to save the bacon after staring at Tord for a bit too long.

The silence was suffocating…that is, until Edd offered a small sheepish grin. “You weren’t supposed to get up for a bit later. We, uh. We’re almost done.” He noted, portioning out the contents of eggs and bacon onto four plates. Tord’s had the most, and the gesture absolutely wasn’t lost on the man. Usually it was the Head Alpha, like Edd, who ate the most.

This was a complete switch of their usual dynamics. He felt a bubbling affection threatening to burst from his chest, having to cover his mouth and fight back the emotions running rampant throughout him. His friends made him all of his favorite foods for his departure.

Turns out rather than bursting, Tord felt tears beginning to roll down his cheeks. “You…did all of this? For me?” he asked, despite already knowing the answer from the way that Matt smiled so brightly at him. “It was my idea! I figured what better way to get you ready for your business trip than a huge meal?”

Business trip. Hah, if only this was business. But Tord saw the good intentions through the wording, in wanting to avoid the acknowledgement that he was on military leave. It made things feel just a bit less…depressing.

He took a seat in his usual spot, looking over the fruits and cheese with curiosity. “You can go ahead and have some, if you’d like.” Matt confirmed, bringing the muffins over to place on the corner of the table. No doubt the poor wooden block would be filled to maximum capacity from all the breakfast foods being placed upon it.

He didn’t need any more invitation to stab his fork through a grape, bringing it to his mouth and letting the fruit pop. It tasted pretty good, even better knowing that it was made entirely just for him. It was easy to smile as he ate, sampling the muffins and washing it down with warm coffee.

The table was set, the food was served, and yet…a hushed silence befell them when all members of the household sat at the table. It wasn’t directly acknowledged, sure, but the tension was palatable as Tord took bite after bite of fluffy pancakes and scrambled eggs.

Everyone else seemed content to keep their noses in their foods as well, avoiding the white elephant in the room as they ate. Occasionally Matt would ask for the salt, or Edd would comment that the food was cooked to perfection- yet largely it was the sound of silverware scraping against plates.

He almost wished that there was at least some kind of music playing.

Every time he looked up, Tord was face to face with the hollowed and tired look that his lover wore. Tom was mainly pushing his food aside rather than eating it. His blank eyes remained downcast as not even the allure of chocolate chip waffles could pull him from his inner demons.

It hurt something deep and primal within his chest, to see his mate so sullen and empty. Guilt clawed at his chest like a vice, aware of how deeply ironic it was. Tom never wanted children, never wanted to rear one until either much later in his life or not at all. And yet here he sat, halfway through his pregnancy, soon to be without his mate at his side during the worst trimesters.

It had Tord placing his silverware down, patting at his stomach as an excuse for the sudden departure. His food was largely gone regardless, and the leftovers would make for a good meal the next couple of days for his companions. “Ahh, I’m stuffed. Matt , Edd, Tom; you all outdid yourself. This was the best meal I’ve had.”

At least it appeared as though his sour mood only extended between him and Tom. Matt and Edd were radiating pride at the compliment, albeit with Edd doing it far more subtly. “I knew you’d like it, Tord. If you’d like I could pack you some to go?” he offered, although Tord had a funny suspicion the army wouldn’t exactly offer him a fridge to keep the cakes fresh.

“No no, it’s alright. You all deserve to have leftovers for the next few days anyways. I’ll be fine, I assure you.” he said, pushing up from the table. “I’ll help with dishes soon, but uh..Thomas? May I have a word with you?” he asked, walking past the table in order to place his dishes to the sink.

As he passed Tom by, his fingertips brushed against his shoulders, subtly reassuring him as he made his way towards their shared bedroom. He knew that there was so much they had yet to discuss, and trying to figure out a good place to start was just…not ideal.

When he entered his room, it was to the sorry sight of his uniform hanging upon the closet door. It was held within a plastic bag, under the influence that it would remain an unused heirloom. He could pull it out now and then, run his fingers over the badges, show each one off to his awestruck little soldier when they were old enough to understand.

His chest ached as he had to pull the outfit from the bag, but for a largely different reason than to show it off. He was stripped down to his underwear as the sound of the door opening caught his attention, the jacket slung over his shoulders. He turned to face Tom, face drawn into a sharp line.

“I’m sorry.”

It was the worst excuse of an apology he could muster, even with the hopeless tone reflected so well in his dialect. Everything hurt. From the cold material stiffly holding against his body, to the buckles and brasses he had to fasten. It was a higher ranking uniform, one with a position he would be picking up immediately once more.

Tom remained silent. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his head turned downwards as his hands smoothed down the front of his hoodie. He was going to need a new one soon, given how fast he was growing compared to how he’d been previously.

Realizing that his lover had no response for him, Tord turned to the mirror, looking at the soldier that stared back at him. He could hardly recognize himself. Stubble dotted his jaw, eyes sunken and tired, bags heavy underneath the lids as the back of his throat ached of bile and cigar smoke.

He cleared his throat, turning back, when he was confident the uniform was on correct. “Had I known this would have happened, I would have been more vocal about your choice of…termination. You did this for me, and I can’t even be there for you.”

Tord swallowed hard, fingers trembling as he adjusted the name tag that stated his designation. “Now you could be stuck with this child, alone. Especially if I don’t come back-“

Tom cut him off, clenching the fabric of his shirt as his voice welled with his barely contained emotions. “Don’t.”

After steeling himself with a deep breath, gorgeous abyssal eyes peering into silver, Tom continued. “Don’t you dare talk like you aren’t coming back, Norski. You will come back to us, and that’s final. You are not getting out of this that easily. Not when we made this together.”

“You’re going to finish what you started, and if you don’t? I’m never forgiving you.”

It was like being dipped into a bucket of cold ice. Suffocating, drenching him to his core and crushing his lungs under the pressure. He felt like he was drowning as his mouth helplessly opened and closed akin to a fish out of water. He hardly even realized he was crying until his arms wound tightly around Tom’s abdomen.

His forehead rested against his shoulder, broken sobs leaving him as he realized just how distant he’s felt from his family these past weeks. Drunken nights out turning into violent altercations at the bar, or long trips in the car turning into passing out within the backseat of them.

How could he have let himself go through so much grief when Tom was the one who was suffering the most here?

Tord’s palm spread out against Tom’s stomach, feeling the pulse of his lover underneath the fabric of his hoodie. He could almost cry when he felt his child seem to roll in response, tiny thumps echoing against his palm as the tears just wouldn’t stop.

He would have to leave his family, yet he already felt as if he had.

“I’m so sorry.” He whispered, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks as finally Tom seemed to be content with this apology. Just the revelation in those tear soaked silver eyes had drawn a broken smile onto the Brit’s face, thumb moving up to wipe the lines of wetness away.

“Just come back to me in one piece, Tord.”

It was a promise that Tord would have to keep.

“Anything for you, mitt hjerte. Anything for you.”

  * \- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -



Goodbyes were always the hardest. Whether it was going away on a trip, moving to a new place, or even a brief goodbye between work shifts; goodbyes held such a finality that left a sick and empty feeling within Tord’s gut.

This was a far more serious goodbye, however, as he stood before the looming building of the recruitment center.

Edd and Matt were at his side, tight hugs exchanged and tearful good lucks bursting around him. “We’re really going to miss you, Tord. You better write us now and then, and know we’re thinking of you every single day!”

Tord never underestimated Edd’s grip, yet it was moments like this where he was reminded just how strong his best friend was. He had to lightly push at the large Alpha’s arms, grunting slightly as he dusted down the front of his uniform. He was putting on a brave smile for his dear friend and his mate. “Oh, you dare think I’d forget?”

He nudged Edd’s side as he was finally let go, silently thankful that perhaps feeling could return to his ribs as a result. While he was sure they would miss him dearly, it was nothing compared to the bond between his destined mate.

Edd and Matt had instead wrapped their arms around each other when the formality hugs were over, no less supportive, however. Judeth even seemed to be a bit livelier lately, his deep blue eyes looking from left to right as he took in his surroundings. Tord made sure to grab the little gloved hand extended in his direction, giving it a series of quick kisses that had the toddler squealing in delight.

With all of his goodbyes put in place, that only left one singular person left. While their earlier interaction could largely be considered a goodbye, there was no true way to part from a true mate. Their bond connected them from the day they met, all the way to now.

All at once emotion was gripping his chest, causing Tord to move forward and wind his arms tight around Tom. He took deep breaths of that sweet scent his lover always exuded, not sure the next time he would be able to scent it. The army wasn’t too privy to scent-marked tokens passing among the Alphas.

It felt like all at once he was sinking, unable to let go as already the mere thought of separation had his bond pathetically screaming out. The mating bite at the base of his neck seemed to throb, the scar being the only lingering reminder of the love waiting for him at home.

The building awaited, yet he was frozen to the spot. Edd and Matt allowed the duo their moment, lingering kisses and quiet words of promise passed between them. “I promise you, Thomas. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“You better be. I’m not going to be the only one changing shitty diapers all day.” He grumbled, the back of his throat rumbling in annoyance with his words. Even if this moment was pathetically tragic in itself, it drew a small smile from Tord, used to his lovers snarky and stubborn attitude. “Save a good one for me, love.”

With a brief kiss being the last memory between them, Tord stepped out of the embrace, turning towards the building before the temptation to run grew too great. He could skip the country, attempt to bring his family and pack to Norway where this mandatory drafting didn’t occur. He could attempt to lay low, hope the allure of chasing one Alpha was too much of a hassle.

But he knew what he had to do.

With heartfelt well wishes being shouted behind him, Tord took the first step away from the comfortable life he had built. He wasn’t the only solider returning from battle by the looks of it. Families and friends dotted the sides of the roads, teary eyed or whooping motivation to the approaching Alphas and betas. Some dressed in uniform, others wearing only their regular clothes in the hope of recruitment.

He remembered being one of those fresh faces. Chasing military benefits, the glory of the fight, honoring this country and fighting for the greater good.

What greater good had he been even hoping for? The longer he dwelled upon it, the emptier he felt as he approached the grand double doors. A pathetic excuse of a welcome sign stood outside the venue, requesting identification and personal health records to be at the ready.

As much as he knew it would pain him, Tord turned over his shoulder a moment before the doors, seeing the sight of his pack waving wide and eagerly to him.

He would return to them. That much he promised.

With a final wave to the group of four, Tord turned around and quietly tucked the final memory as deep into his subconscious as he could. This would be his motivation, the thought of returning to his dear friends and lover. And, should things look in his favor, a beautiful baby boy or girl.

He could do this.

Even if the inside of the establishment reminded him of a cold and sterile mortuary as it was. White pillars stretched up into ornate marble work, old statues staring at him from all angles as he shuffled himself into line alongside the other soldiers. While the new undeniably chattered among themselves, those dressed in uniform carried much the same expression as him.

Hopeless.

He went through the line with his head down, keeping to himself as identification came in the form of his previous paperwork. Despite his best efforts to look as neutral as possible within the line, a single tap on the shoulder had him lifting his head up. A man dressed in a worn pink hoodie stood before him, a bent cigarette tucked underneath his ear.

The man offered Tord a smile, one which was weakly returned. “You look mighty important.” The stranger noted, “Why the long face, buddy?”

As if having a second thought of what he said, the soldier quickly tacked on, “You don’t gotta share if you don’t want to. Could be personal and none of the business of a guy like me.”

Well, at least he had as much sense to state the obvious before Tord had to.

And yet…there was something entertaining about this man. He found himself growing fond of his blunt attitude already. “Well, you could start by asking my name first. It’s Tord. Tord Lassum.” He stated, moving his hand forward and finding a grin steadily settling along his features when his new friend returned the gesture in a handshake.

“Coulda never guessed from the looks of your nametag, Lassum. My name’s Paul. You can call me eyebrows though if it makes ya feel a little better.”

Oh yes, he had a feeling he would like this new stranger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help it. I had to add Paul. Idk if I previously added him in this story before but if I did I'm going back and changing this because I adore the thought of them meeting now.

**Author's Note:**

> Did you like what you just gandered at?  
> Check me out at morph-writes-shit.tumblr.com to see more!


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